“Play going on and Jiri came off, sat at the end of the bench and basically passed out on us,” he said Tuesday morning. “And at that moment, when he went limp, everybody realized that something was not right and we needed to get the game stopped, so the guys were throwing bottles and jumping out while the play was going on.”

On Nov. 21, 2005, McLellan was an assistant coach on the Detroit Red Wings bench when defenseman Jiri Fischer, then 25, collapsed. Dallas forward Rich Peverley had a similar cardiac issue Monday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and when asked his thoughts on that event, McLellan immediately went back to that night more than eight years ago.

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“Players playing on broken legs, there’s stories like that. This is different. This is life or death,” he said. “It can leave a lasting impact on a lot of people.”

More of his recollections – as well as his endorsement of the decision to end hockey for the night when something like that occurs – forms the crux of an online story I just filed and available here .

That story also quotes Adam Burish, who played two seasons in Dallas before coming to San Jose. Other Sharks were hit hard by the frightening event as well.

“Obviously it was a scary situation, real scary for everyone involved,” Joe Pavelski said. “You hope everyone’s all right and he can get back to playing as soon as possible.”

Something like this goes beyond having a player hurt during the course of a game, he added.

“To see a guy collapse on his own cranks it up another notch,” Pavelski said.

Everyone endorsed the decision to end the game after Peverley collapsed.

“No doubt,” Tommy Wingels said. “At the time, you have no idea what happened. At the time, you’re shaken up and I’m not surprised at all at that decision. You’re thinking about the player and not the result of the game.”

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Added Dan Boyle:

“Pretty scary, man. If we were in their shoes and somebody goes down, it’s tough to go on when you know one of your brothers is down like that. Very understandable.”

****McLellan said that Raffi Torres’s presence in the lineup tonight will be a game-time decision.

“He’s a little bit sore and it may be a night where he has to take off just to recuperate a little it,” the coach said. “It’s taxing on that body and on his legs. We may look at doing that tonight.”

Is that soreness tied to the knee or just playing hockey after a long time off?
“A little bit of everything,” McLellan said.

He wouldn’t confirm that Antti Niemi will be in goal, but all signs at the morning skate indicated that was the case.

****We did get to talk to Joe Pavelski today about what to expect from his Team USA linemates – Phil Kessel and James Van Riemsdyk – when the Sharks face the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight. I filed a separate online story earlier and rather than rehash it again, you can read it here .

By the way, Kessel, Van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozek have formed the top scoring line in hockey since Jan. 1, with 37 goals and 49 assists.

****Focused on the Sharks power play problems yesterday (2-for-48 in last 16 games) and Dan Boyle copped to being part of the problem Tuesday morning.

“I think a lot of its mental,” he said of the overall situation. Against Montreal, “I made an absolutely horrendous pass on the 5-on-3, stuff that I would never do. I think it’s more between the ears than anything else, but that’s it. Once we clean that up, take a deep breath and relax a little bit, I think the power play will be fine.”

David Pollak

David Pollak has been following the NHL forever and at the Mercury News as an editor or reporter since 1987. For almost a decade he wrote about the Sharks as the paper's Fan in the Stands before joining the sports department in 2001. He became the Sharks beat writer before the 2007-08 season and began this blog at that time. You can also follow him on Twitter at @PollakOnSharks.

I wasn’t serious, but you know the league doesn’t like anyone standing up to the company line like Wilson did in public. No conspiracy, but not beyond the realm of possibility,

Stevo

I chuckle when I hear NHL commentators or Eastern North American coaches describe their roadies through California as going through “Death Valley”.

Stevo

Thank you Phaneuf (the doof).

SCSharksFan

Can you get a penalty for a head shot on your teammate? Joking…

SCSharksFan

Intent to blow… That about says it all, eh?

Stevo

Carlyle will hand out the punishment 😉

What a stupid play by Ding-Dong Phadeuf.

SCSharksFan

Lucky goal stick there Reimer…

Stevo

I don’t know if there is a doofier TV guy calling hockey games than the “Voice of the Maple Leafs”, Mr. Joe Bowen.

Holy Mackinaw…

Stevo

If the Sharks think they can win in the POs w/out a PP… they are gravely mistaken.

Buddy Elf

Absolutely…

But the fact is they are winning even with a horrible powerplay and that is a good thing.

SCSharksFan

Exactly what i was thinking. How about Phaneuf trying to fight Havless… Good luck with that one

Buddy Elf

Thursday the Sharks beat one of the five teams supposedly better than them…. And shut down the #1 points scorer in the league… AND dominated that matchup making him -5.

5 days later they shutdown the #2 point scorer in the league and once again dominating the matchup making him a -3…

You won’t hear any of those stats from DonkeyNut.

Alex

All of a sudden, the Sharks are only 2 points behind Ducks having played 1 more game though.

Stevo

Are you referring to the DonkeyNut-stat-filter syndrome?

Take it easy on the kid – I think it’s a genetic disorder 😉

Buddy Elf

True… He is still trying to figure out what conference various teams are in… Baby steps. He doesn’t understand sports.

Stevo

The downside? They won’t get that kind of time and space in the POs. Goals will, as usual, be at a premium.

The upside? The only thing missing in the Sharks’ toolbox is the PP.

Buddy Elf

While passing them would be nice and should be the goal, I do worry about having to travel to Minnesota or Dallas in the first round with Anaheim and LA both staying at home for the first round. Phoenix would be alright, though still traveling.

Stevo

…or worry about drawing LAK in the 1st round.

I’d prefer Minny over Dallass though.

Buddy Elf

Yup… I would be very shocked if the PP doesn’t recover by the PO’s. I would rather it suck right now than right before the post-season but time is ticking.

Stevo

And it got Phadeuf tossed from the game.

Roughing/Unsportsmanlike/Gamer

Ding-Dong

Stevo

Shepp 73% in the circle. That’s good to see.

spooky

i happened to watch the canadian broacast of this game.

they could not stop praising the sharks all game long. they were even talking stanley cup and all that. how deep we are up front.
they were really blown away how perfect, fast, puck possesion , quick gap closing N zone and whatever else game we play and how sharks taught leafs a lesson today.
of course except the PP they were saying we should just decline them.

good game. good win.
15,57 pleasure to watch how they improved. nice to see 83 playing with more confidence as well.

but whatsup with not able to convert on 5 on 3 that i dont really know.

Buddy Elf

Love seeing the kid step up…

SCSharksFan

You must have been listening to Bakes on the radio eh?

Stevo

Yeah, as others already have mentioned, he might be able to “replace” Pav on the 3rd line.

I’ve always liked the guy. I was afraid the team would give up on him before he was allowed to play up to his potential.

Buddy Elf

Actually no…. Was a continuation of a conversation from Thursday when DonkeyNut was running his mouth and the Sharks beat one of his teams he said the Sharks weren’t better than. So I was tracking Kessel’s stats all game.

After posting it, I heard Bakes say it on the Post game show on CSN.

Stevo

Hockeynut’s trying to figure out how the heck the crappy Sharks got to within 2 pts of the Mighty Anaheim Ducks, and within 4 pts of 1st in the NHL.

…when alternative universes collide…

Stevo

I watched that broadcast too Spooky. They ‘nosed the Sharks so much, it made me chuckle.. only because of listening to so many Shark “fans” bellyache this season – even though SJ has a really good team at this point.

NB Finfan

I have never doubted Vlasic’s defensive capabilities but have been critical of his ability to do something positive with the puck once it is on his stick. I don’t like that he habitually passes straight up the boards as that is the hardest pass to complete and don’t like that he habitually misses the net with his shot. Tonight he was making good outlet passes and hit the net with his shot. An obvious observation since he scored.

He did a very good job of hitting the net earlier in the season but started missing with regularity after that. Hope he is on track now and continues developing his offensive game.

J B

Too bad he was booted before he could hit any more of his own guys.

NB Finfan

As for Sheppard, I think everyone has been routing for him to find his game, me too. I am glad to see him start to get some success. Perhaps he is better suited as a center instead of being a wing. Hope he continues to be successful. It’s good for him and good for the team.

GP_hockeyhappens

Just another example, there are so many, of not knowing how to enjoy a hockey game, then trying to ruin for others.

GP_hockeyhappens

2 of those blown calls, Sharks would be up on the Ducks by a point. Just sayin’

GP_hockeyhappens

I agree. Just before the shorty, I was thinking…time to decline the penalty..still work in progress…

GP_hockeyhappens

Not working hard enough. Intensity will pick up and they will get the space back… connecting with some passes will help in any extent..

GP_hockeyhappens

Like I said elsewhere, Shepp has a reason now to think he really does fit in. Good stuff from him again. He needs to by Ricci a dinner or two to improve some more.

Brad Broadbeck

The Sharks need to just start rolling their top two lines on the power play…

Brad Broadbeck

great game other than that though!

Stevo

Also gonna be tough if the boys don’t play strong D in front of him.

Stevo

Go back and take a look at that 1st PP vs MTL. If they do that every time, they’ll score their share of goals over the rest of the season.

A more simplistic strategy that can work:
IMO, the basic PP is about crashing the net for loose change. Not doing what the Sharks did tonight – pass around the perimeter where TOR easily covered the man with the puck/picked off passes.

Just shoot it on net with 2 guys in front of the goalie. It will all flow from there. IMO

Buddy Elf

Is that why he disappeared after running his mouth early in the game when the score was closer? After the Sharks took a lead he straight up disappeared.

Alex

Yes, exactly. I don’t want to play LA in the playoffs at all.

Hockeynut

I agree that an in front of net presence could work, but their “big” guys just refuse to play that role. It should be guys like Burns, Sheppard, and Dejardins, but instead it’s Burrish and Kennedy. Those guys aren’t strong and tough enough to be in that role. Sheppard is 6’1″ and over 200lbs. He is strong on his skates too. He should be planted in front of the goalie on the PP. Burns is even bigger. Drew says it over and over again, you have to get in the goalie’s eyes. Without that strong net front presence you are too reliant on deflections and fluke bounces. 21st in the league says it all. Something has to change.

Rohit Krishnan

he’s played center all his life. he’s a first round pick and is starting to play like one. I’ve said from day one to let this kid play and he’ll get into his own

Davahad

He did it to the Sharks in 2010 in the conference finals (gave up 7 goals) but failed miserably to repeat the performance in the 2011 Conference finals vs Vancouver yielding 20 goals in 5 games.

I would argue that it was not so much Niemi in 2010 vs. Sharks as it was just a complete failure by the Sharks to score which is the usual excuse every year when they fail to advance. “The we ran into a hot goalie excuse.”

I hope I am wrong about Niemi this year as I have been season ticket holder since the 1st Yr in San Jose and I watch every game on TV that I don’t see in person. This has got to be the year that we catch some lucky breaks and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.